This invention relates to cordless vacuum cleaners, and more particularly to a light in the detachable nozzle of such a hand-held vacuum cleaner that illuminates an area directly forward of the nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,498 issued May. 4, 1993 to Lawrence teaches a vacuum cleaner with a lamp located well back of the nozzle opening, using a fan shape light pipe to direct the light forward and out a broad, front aperture to reduce the height of the front end of the cleaner. U.S. Pat. Des. No. 259,618 issued Jan. 23, 1981 to Tack, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,443 disclose a hand-held vacuum cleaner with a headlight well behind the nozzle opening. U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,697 issued Nov. 23, 1999 to Song teaches a wide lamp housed in a chamber lined with reflective material to disperse the light into a wide flat beam. The lamp is within the airflow path to cool the lamp.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a hand held, battery or cigarette lighter powered vacuum cleaner having a headlamp in an isolated compartment over the nozzle that illuminates an area directly forward of the surface being cleaned by the nozzle. It is another object that the isolated compartment be closed at its forward end by a lens to direct the emitted light. It is yet another object that the overall height of the forward portion of the cleaner be low so as to enable it to be used under items that have little vertical clearance such as beneath automobile seats. It is yet another object that these items not block the light. This is achieved by having the lens in a straight line with the downwardly sloping top to direct the light down onto the plane of the nozzle opening as close to one inch forward of the nozzle.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when the detailed description is studied in conjunction with the drawings in which like elements are designated by like reference characters in the various drawing figures.